Pour Another One
by EvenInProse
Summary: Karen hated him. Every time she looked at him all she could see were flaws. So why did she stay for him? She doesn't love him. Why did she choose this? She knew perfectly well what staying meant, what his hopes would be. Karen/Rick oneshot


Karen hated him. Every time she looked at him all she could see were flaws. His eyes were set too close together. His glasses made his small head seem even tinier on top of his broad shoulders. His stupid white headband pushed his hair back to expose a large forehead and wisps of greasy hair that escaped the confines. His clothes fell unattractively around him, both too large and too small. He was too much of a cheapskate to purchase any new clothes from the city or even the general store. The sleeves of his shirt were overly baggy and strapped down with strings to prevent them from falling while the tightness of his apron suggested that he had put on a few more pounds since last Spring. Even his hands annoyed her. They were so feminine, much too graceful for a chicken farmer and obviously inherited from Lillia. His nails were always jagged though, with dirt embedded underneath. He even smelled for Goddess sake! He perpetually reeked of chicken, sweat, and dirt, and no amount of begging him to shower before he came to see her helped. Everything about him was lacking in some way. She didn't understand why she was friends with him in the first place.

She wished she could say his personality was much better. Sure, he was a caring son and brother to Popuri and Lillia, but that was the only good thing she could say about him. He whined constantly about his farm and the work it took to run it. He whined about his father leaving. He whined that he was the only one who knew anything about chickens in the town. He whined about everything everyday to her. When he wasn't complaining, he would mope. He was depressed about the lack of sales at the farm or the hole in the fence where the chickens escaped or not making enough money to pay for Doc's medicine. He would have mood swings, going from happy to sad to angry. Heaven forbid she mentioned his father, or all hell would break lose. She tiptoed on eggshells around him when he was in a mood as his temper was legendary. When he got going, he practically frothed at the mouth. Spit would fly, and his eyes took on a crazed, possessed glare. Even his protectiveness of his sister and mother bordered insane. How many times had she caught him screaming at Kai for talking to Popuri. One summer, she watched as he tried to sucker punch Kai for leaving Popuri. She would have been slightly impressed if he actually managed to land a punch, but Kai just side stepped him. Rick fell into the sand, and the fight was over. Overall, he was possessive, jealous, and temperamental at the best of times.

So why did she stay for him? She doesn't love him. Why did she choose this? She knew perfectly well what staying meant, what his hopes would be. She knew that he expected them to be together. They were always meant for each other right? They had been friends since childhood. He still visits her every day, and they sit outside the supermarket bench together. He prattles on about his latest chicken, and she just listens. Then she talks about dancing and drinking, and he gets this listless look in his eyes. She hates that look, the condescension in his gaze infuriates her. In those moments, she thinks about all the things she could have done if she had just left. At 18, she dreamed about leaving this hick town in the middle of nowhere and moving to the city. She wanted to be a dancer, to become a star. Everyone always praised her singing and dancing, she was sure that she could make it in the city. All she needed was a chance. She just needed to go and get her name out there, and then she would be successful. The town would hear about her in the newspapers. She was sure of it. Aja had done it successfully. She had gotten out; made a name for herself outside Mineral Town. But, Karen decided to stay. She should have left him here to rot.

Years back, they argued about her leaving. Back when they shared everything together, she had told Rick about her plans. She told him her desire to see the world and to become a dancer. She wanted to leave that summer, and she didn't know when she would come back if at all. She knew he wouldn't take the news well, but she figured he would eventually give in and support her. He always gave into her eventually. Maybe if she was lucky, he would come visit her in the city. Then, he could really see how stifled she was here. In the city, she would flourish. If she made it big, she could even help him and his family. While Rick was never one to take money from her regardless of how much she tried to discount his groceries each week, she could buy a few extra things from his store.

However, Rick took the news worse than she thought. They had fought before throughout their lives, but this fight was damaging to both of them. For Rick, he saw her move as a betrayal. Though she cared for him, she wanted to just up and leave. He saw their years of friendship take a screeching halt, and he felt used. The situation hit too close to home and mirrored his father's long journey away. Rick's temper exploded at her, but instead of yelling like she predicted, he became deathly silent. Karen was ready for a fight when she confronted him. She was ready for screaming and whining and maybe even some crying. She was not expecting to be met with such cold, hatred. Rick, who had always supported her, denounced her dreams. He told her she was stupid for even thinking she could make it and that she was just like his father. They were both pursuing a fantasy that would never happen. There was a billion to one chance she would even be able to support herself in the city. He made her feel so small and insignificant. Karen was floored. She never expected him to lash out in that way, to trample her dreams and tell her she wasn't good enough. No one had ever told her she wasn't good enough. He was her best friend, and this is what he thought of her. He didn't believe in her. While she promptly stormed off, yelling expletives at him, the damage had already been done. Karen's confidence took a hit, and the seed of doubt was placed. They didn't talk to each other for the rest of Spring. However, between Karen's lowered self-confidence and the push-back she received from her parents, Karen decided to stay in Mineral Town. She never left for the city that summer or any other summer.

Regardless, time healed both of their wounds, and the friends seemed to come together again naturally. While nothing completely fixed the rift, the half-hearted apologies smoothed over their hurt feelings. Furthermore, when she decided to stay, everything became settled. They resumed their usual activities together, and he continued to meet her in the mornings outside the supermarket. It seemed as if life had put her on a new, predestined track. Date Rick. Marry Rick. Have kids with Rick. Die with Rick. She saw it all planned out, and Rick seemed to be nonchalant about the arrangement. He never alluded to being unhappy about their destiny. He never even mentioned them dating, but the inevitability of it killed her. Even their families pushed them together. Her father always praises Rick, how devoted he is to her. Rick would blush at his words, and she can't help but think he made Jeff a surrogate father. Her usually more reserved mother is just as bad, gossiping in the town square about Rick's immanent proposal. The thought turns her blood cold. She doesn't know whether to scream, yell, or just accept her fate.

Just when she feels she can't take anymore, she meets Duke at the Inn. They break open a bottle of wine to split, and Karen can think clearly for the first time in years. She stares at the red liquid in her glass, swirling it around and around. Her troubles melt as a haze settles over her mind, coating her thoughts with sweetness. She's taken back to her teens, when her life was unplanned, and she looked forward to greater days to come. From then on, she turns to the bar, spending time with Duke and Doug. There she can sing to her heart's content, and drink enough that she won't remember. She spends night after night in their company, and Rick comes just after Doug cuts her off to drag her back home. Even though he never drinks himself, he helps her stumble home every time. They continue this strange courtship. Years pass, and their relationship doesn't change much. The same cycle continues, over and over. Morning talks, night drinking. Rinse and repeat. They are steady. It isn't until many years later that a change occurs. A new farmer arrives in town, and Karen can't understand why anyone would voluntarily come here. She meets the farmer and determines that Claire is perfectly content to live and die in Mineral Town. In fact, Claire has no aspirations besides farming and raising a few animals. Karen can't help but think it's a waste of someone so beautiful, until the unexpected happens. All the town people fall in love with her, and Claire becomes the darling of Mineral Town. Even then, Karen doesn't think much of her until Rick begins to upset their routine.

It becomes another reason to hate him. She stayed for him and now all she sees are his eyes following Claire. She knows that he isn't doing it purposefully. She doesn't even think he knows he's doing it. Claire will walk by the supermarket and his eyes will dart away. They will linger too long on Claire's retreating back as she rushes along the path to the inn. It's the littlest betrayal, barely even a scandal the gossips would notice. She can see it though, and her face begins to flush. Her eyes gleam cold, and all the hatred she feels for him bubbles up in her. However, what really makes her hate him is how he brings Claire up in conversations now. He will casually mention how Claire bought a new chicken or that her business has helped the farm. He will say how it is all thanks to Claire that he can afford Lillia's medicine. Never mind the years of her sneaking extra groceries into his shopping bags. These tiny blows are almost too much for Karen. She feels like punching him in the face every time she hears him speak now. She can even picture it, his face with a nice, large, red welt on it. Maybe even a purple-blue eye if she aims her punch right. He must know what he's doing right? He would deserve it. She holds back though, and she merely increases her trips to the inn. Her routine is now daily. She buys more bottles of wine for the supermarket, pocketing a few for herself. On really bad days, she downs something stronger. She will dance on the bar floor and sing to her hearts content. She pretends she did leave town. In those moments of liquid filled courage, she finds clarity. Nothing has changed, nothing is unsure. Everything is still planned. He still comes for her. She didn't give up everything for nothing.

Every night she reaffirms that she hates him. She hates the way he walks her home from the bar, steadying her with arms around her shoulders and waist. His arms are too scrawny. For a farmer, she thought he would have stronger arms. The material of his shirt scratches her face, and he walks too fast for her. In the moonlight, his skin is even paler. The dark circles around his eyes cause them to look sunken, and she can see his tiredness clearly for the first time. She realizes they have been playing this game too long, but part of her doesn't care. She understands she's a little broken, but it shouldn't matter how many nights he has to drag her home from the bar after her matches with Duke. It shouldn't matter that their conversations are strained now. It shouldn't even matter that they both stopped listening to each other. Regardless of their situation at this moment, he was hers. After everything she gave up for him, he owed her. If anything, he made her like this. He made her, and no one else could take credit for it. So, she goes to the inn every night and drinks. She knows he will come and get her home. He always comes for her. Meanwhile, she forgets those little gazes, and she asks Doug to pour her another one.

A/N:

Thank you for reading, and please leave a review! I love reading them and getting feedback on my writing. I'm still working on it, so all the feedback I get is wonderful. I originally had an idea for a Rick centered fic, but this one ended up happening. I think that Karen is a very complex character, and I wanted to create a piece around her view of Rick. I want to make her an unreliable narrator too. While this isn't first person, her view of him is fairly harsh. I think that Karen would probably have left Mineral Town if it wasn't for Rick, so I wanted to play with that idea. Ultimately, I think she would grow to resent him. If Rick and Claire end up together, she would be livid. I hope nobody takes this as a Karen bashing fic. I just wanted to explore her character and how I believe she would see things. I believe that Karen both loves and hates Rick. I know this fic is a little all over the place with her feelings, but I wanted to express how unsure Karen herself is. I hope you read the fic I plan on publishing soon that's Rick centered. It's meant to be a companion piece to this one (at least that's what I envision) Hopefully, it sheds more light on Rick and Karen's relationship. It will include more of Rick's perspective on the events that occur including their argument and Claire.


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